The United States and Latin America Chapter 22 Sections 2-3 The United States and Latin America

The Panama Canal The U.S. wanted a short-cut that would connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans First country to attempt: France President Roosevelt sent troops to Colombia when they refused to sell us the land for the canal. Troops helped support a revolution by a group called the Panamanians – when they won, they formed their own country of Panama

Panama Canal, con’t Canal is built by using a series of “Locks” – which raise and lower ships across 50 mile isthmus Took ten years to build – 1904-1914 Cost $375 million to build 6,000 workers died building the canal

Panama Canal cont…. U.S. paid Panama $10 million plus $250,000 per year for 99 year lease Canal zone owned and operated by the U.S. until the year 2000 – now owned by Panama

Policing the Hemisphere Teddy Roosevelt made it clear the U.S. would be dominant in Western Hemisphere. Monroe Doctrine: Policy preventing other nations from intervening in Latin America Roosevelt added the Roosevelt Corollary: Still prevented European intervention, but added that U.S. could act as “Policeman” in region We could “Intervene” in domestic affairs if it helped the ‘stability’ of the region

Dollar Diplomacy: influencing governments through economic not military intervention. Wilson and Democracy: President Wilson rejected Taft’s dollar diplomacy and said the United States had a moral obligation to promote democracy in Latin America.